Timer



July 17, 1923- E. VON HAM BACH TIMER Filed March 29. 1920.

fimd Xv 2 w JF MJ Patented July 17, 1923.

ERNEST VON HAMBACH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO HERBERT D. LAFFERTY,

OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA. &

TIMER.

Application filed March 29, 1920. Serial No. 369,478.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST VON HAM- BACK, a citizen of the United States of Americe, and resident of Chicago, Cook County,

Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Timers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in timers, and has for its object the provision of an efficient and economical structure which is particularly adapted for use on Ford cars. 1n cars of this type the space permitted for the timer is very limited and, therefore, difliculties are presented in designing a timer which will operate successfully and yet be of sufliciently small dimensions to fit within the limited space.

The features and objects of my invention will be more clearly understood by first having reference to the accompanying drawlngs, in which I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention.

Figure 1 is a rear view looking into the casing. r I

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view.

Figure? isa detail erspective view of the insulatingv disk or hu which is mounted on the cam shaft. 1 k

- I have illustrated a shaft, 5, which in ordinary practice is the cam shaftbf the engine, the inner'en'd' of which .is slightly reduced in diameter to provide an outwardly-facing shoulder, and upon this inner end a disk or sleeve 6 of insulating material is mounted. A metallic sleeve or lining 7 is preferably inserted between the shaft 5 and the sleeve 6, and the sleeve 6 carrying the insulating sleeve 7, is secured in place by means of the nut 8, said nut serving to jam the metallic sleeve 7 a ainst the shoulder on the shaft and thus at a 1 times maintain an effective electrical contact with the sleeve. The outer end of this sleeve is preferably reduced in diameter, or cone-shaped, as shown at 9, the base of this cone where it joins the cylindrical part of the sleeve being rounded, as indicated at 10, 10, for purposes hereinafter pointed out. The casing of the timer, which is of the usual standard construction, is indicated at 11. Radially mounted in this casing at equidistant points are a plurality of brush holders 12. Each of these brush holders consists of a single integral member having the inner end thereof bored out to form a .ers but merely, press themout-a short. (liS-e.

being cylindrical space for the reception of the brushes 13, and the outer end of the brush holder being reduced in diameter and threaded and extending through the casing- 11. These brush holders are insulated from the casing by an insulating bushing 14 and are held in position by anut 15 threaded upon the extension 13 of the brush holder, which extension likewise provides a'suitablei. connection terminal for, establishing electrical connection with the brushholder and thus with the brush mounted therein. Mounted within each of the brush holders are suitable spiral springs 16 which press outwardly upon the brushes 13 to thus maintain them in firm and proper contact with the hub 6. Mounted within the rotating hub or rotor 6 is an electrical contact 17 which is connected with the metallic sleeve] which is ounded through the engine-frame;

assembling my device, the insulating hub 6 and sleeve 7 are first slid .upon the end,of the cam shaft- 5, and the nut 8 screwed down to hold them in osition The cap orhousing 11 carrying t e brushes 15 is then placed overthe end of the cam shaft. The springs 16, are not ,of sufficient. stren th to force the brushes entirelyput. of theho dtance so that whenthe, housing. ,is placed in osition, these brushes; strike-against the inc ined surface 9 of the insulating hub and then ride gradually up over this incline on to the horizontal portion of the hub as the housing is forced in position, the housing eld in proper position in any suitable manner.

By my construction, the hub or rotor can be made of comparatively small diameter, and thus the surface speed of this rotor is a great deal less than in constructions where the rotating element is forced by spring pressure against a stationary outer ring as is commonly used in the Ford construction. Where the spring is thus mounted on the revolving member, the stationary ring carrying the stationary contacts must necessarily be of suflicient diameter to permit room for the spring to operate. The speed with which the movable element passes over the stationary element is thereby greatly increased, and as the wear on these parts is proportionate to this engaging speed, it will be seen that by my construction I greatly "even operation of the timer.

firmly held against the 'com-sais Fnrthermor e, by' having brushes andthe rotating contact.

reduce the wear both upon the stationary contact members and the revolving contact member.

Furthermore, it often happens that the housing which carries the stationary conwas is not exactly concentric with the cam shaft which carries the rotating contacting element. Where this rotating contact element consists of a contact ball or roller carried around :1. stations? contact ring, this eccentric positioning 0 this rotating contact'mem'ber will cause an unequal wear on the stationary contact ring and thus an un- By my construction however, even though the cam shaft is slightly eccentric with thehousing, this will not reduce any unequal wear on 'the'mvolving ub or rotor,- but Will'at most merelyiproduce'slightly greater wear upon one brush'than upon another;-but such unequal =wear ivill not efiect the even operation of the timer, as these brushes are at alltimes rotor by spring ressure;

liurthermore, it will be seen that in my improved timer there are no parts which require oiling or lubrication which, of a greatadvantag'e, as it greatly the maintenance of the timer. the brushes pressed against the ins'ulating hub by a direct radial and byhaving these brushes at all times bear upon a portion of the insulating insure an even operation of the jumping of the brushes, e contact between the Furthermore, by the use of brushes having a flat surface contact vvith the rotating member, I avoid any arcing which a'rc'ing tends to burn the contacts and thus reduce the life and ellicienc'y of same;

simplifies timeland avoid an thus improving t While I have illustrated and described one particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction shown and described, but that various changes and modifications may be made without depart ing from the spirit and intent of any invention.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a timer, a central shaft adapted to be rotated, a sleeve of insulating material carried by said shaft, an electrical contact extending through said sleeve, a housing surrounding said sleerc, a plurality of brush holders mounted in said housing, brushes n'iountcdin said holders, and spring means for forcing said brushes into engagement with said rota-ting sleeve, said sleeve having at one end thereof a cone-shaped surface which serves to cam the brushes radially outwardly during assembling.

2. In a timer, a shaft adapted to be rotated, a sleeve of insulating material carried by said shaft, an electrical contact carried by said sleeve, a housing surroundim said sleeve and carrying a plurality of brushholders, each of said brush-holders consisting of a hollow inner member located with in said housing and a threaded shank 'con-. ncctedto the outer end of said hollow' inner member and extending through thepvall of the housing to form a connecting terminal on the outside thereof, the outer .end'of said holloiv member serving as an abutment, a brush mounted within said hollow inner member and a spring for actuating said brush, and a binding-nut onsaid;threadcd shank for clamping the brush-holderin position on the wall of the housing.

Signed by me at Davenport, Iowa, this 18 day of March, 1920.

ERNEST VON HAM'BACH. 

